The present invention relates to attachments for electric drills are more particularly to chuck key storage attachments.
When using an electrical appliance such as a portable drill, it is often desirable to have an accessory, such as a chuck key, conveniently attached to the drill. If the chuck key is not so attached to the drill, it may become lost, misplaced, or otherwise be inconvenient for use. It has been well known in practice to tie, tape, or wire the chuck key to the electric cord supplying the power to the electric drill. Such an attachment means to the power cord has its disadvantages, however, in that it is difficult to freely turn the chuck key and the chuck key so tied often interferes with free movement of the power cord over obstacles and can possibly mar the surface over which it moves. Furthermore, the chuck key attached to the electric cord is typically remote from the electric drill and therefore inconveniently located with respect to the operator of the drill.
A further factor relating to the storage of chuck keys, and the provision of an attachment for an electric drill for that purpose, is that chuck keys are not of universal or standard design and therefore they can vary in size to suit the chuck of a particular drill with which it is provided. Therefore, the chuck key for a given drill will not necessarily fit the chuck of another drill of another manufacturer. Thus, in order to provide the greatest utility in an accessory for the "after-market" for electric drills, it is appropriate to provide an attachment for the storage of more than one size of drill chuck key. To the inventor's knowledge the prior art has not dealt with the provisions of multiple chuck keys nor the provision of such keys in the easily attachable and removable manner provided by the present invention.
Other solutions to the provision of an attachment for an electric drill, and for the storage of chuck keys, include U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,946 to Robert K. Schelke. The Schelke patent provides for a strain relief attachment to the electric cord of a drill, providing a single chuck key storage hole. In that device, the chuck key is again inconveniently mounted with respect to the drill on the electric cord. The disadvantages discussed above with respect to that location of mounting are not overcome by that device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,924 to James C. Fox et al provides for a drill housing mounted chuck key storage apparatus. This attachment essentially provides for a position of storage and a position of use 180 degrees opposite to the position of storage. Such device requires alignment upon installation of the drill, and provides for the storage of only one drill chuck key. Therefore, the apparatus must be custom designed to suit each size chuck of known manufacture. Such a construction complicates the use of the storage apparatus, requires that multiple apparatuses be provided in the after-market to suit the various size chuck keys and otherwise offers the possibility of breakage or deformation and therefore difficulty of use.